OCR Text |
Show In 1897 the appropriation act declared it "to be the settled policy of the Government to hereafter make no appropriation whatever for education in any sectarian schools," but allowed contracts to be made with contract schools "to an amount not exceeding fifty per centum of the amount so used for the fiscal year 1895," which, not including Hampton and Lincoln ($53,440), was $410,065. This allowed a little over $204,488 for general distribution. No special appropriations were made by Congress this year for any schools except the $53,440 for Lincoln and Hampton Institutes. In tbeappropriation act for fiscal year 1898 the same declaration was made, but still permitted the use of 40 per cent of the amount so used in 1895 for contracts with present contract schools. This reduction left $159,514 for these schools. Miss Howard's school was purchased by the Government. The aid to the two schools, St. John's and St. Louis's, on the Osage Reservation, in Oklahoma, amounting to $11,250, was omitted from the general school fund and charged specifically to the tribal funds, leaving $398,815 as the amount for 1895, upon which calculations should be based. Congress omitted the declaration concerning the "settled policy of the Government" in the appropriation act for fiscal year 1899, and directed that 30 per cent of the amount used in 1895 should be available for similar purposes, which gave for this year $119,644 for general distribution. For the fiscal year 1900 the appropriation was for 15 per cent of the amount used in 1895, amounting to $59,822. Hampton and Lincoln Institutes were specifically appropriated for during 1898, 1899, and 1900 to the amount of $53,440 each year. Full data showing the basis used in making all reductions as required by law are exhibited in the annual reports for each year. In the act making appropriations for the ensuing fiscal year 1901 no authority iqgiven to make these contracts. Only one exception is made, and that is a specific appropriation "For support and education of one hundred and twenty Indian pupils at the school at Hampton, Virginia." This is a magnificently equipped industrial school, and for this and the additional reason that it is not considered a sectarian school, it is presumed that Congress continued its appropriation. The above brief historical review of a system which has so long been on the statute books may prove not uninteresting to those who watch carefully every phase of the education of the Indian. That these schools have rendered in the past excellent service to the cause of education among the several tribes is well known. The deci-sion of the conductors of a great majority of these former contract schools to continue them in the future has been communicated to this office. None have signified any intention of retiring from the field. Their efforts in civilizing the Indians will meet with appreciative |